BANGALORE: Romanticised fragments of symphony brought alive by melancholic undertones — is how one would describe Hasrat. A child prodigy, Bobby Jutley learned to play tabla at the tender age of seven. His passion for music resonates with the poetry in sufi and ghazals. Bobby embarked on a journey in May 2009 to compose eight of his fathers (Mohan Jutley) ghazals for the first time with some of India’s best ghazal singers. The contrasting tones and rustic melodies of the ghazals sung by Jagjit Singh, Hariharan, Roopkumar and Sunali Rathod in this album are phenomenal. Bobby Jutley talks to us about his experience in taking his father’s poetry to the masses.
Has music always been an integral part of your life? What genres do you enjoy listening to?
Music has been with me ever since I remember and forms a very important part of my life along with my family. Throughout the years I have somehow been able to juggle my music with school and then university, my day job and my married life, and family. It has been difficult but I have managed to strike a balance. In terms of genres, I love ghazals, but then I also like qawali and sufi music.
n Your father’s poetry is now immortalised with four of the greatest ghazal singers this country has ever known. How does it feel to be a part of this journey?
The journey has been absolutely surreal working with such great maestros. The whole process of creating music is indescribable, it is like a child being born and you want the best for that child when it enters the world. I have learnt so much from these amazing artistes and it was such a pleasure to be in their company and to experience their teachings.
n This is the very first time that Jagjit Singh, Hariharan, Roopkumar and Sunali Rathod have recorded a studio album together. Were you a part of the process? Can you tell us about your experience making Hasrat?
I specifically selected these artistes and I had to have them knowing that they were the only ones that could do justice to what I wanted. I composed the tunes with them in mind. After I prepared the demo recording in London, I brought it back to India with me and arranged to meet Hariharan and Roop. First I went to Hari’s Bhai’s place in Mumbai to play him the tracks and he immediately selected what he wanted to sing. I was so excited when I heard his reaction. He told me the tunes were pleasing and something new and refreshing to hear after a long time. From Hari Bhai’s place I went to Roop Bhai’s place and he was taken aback. He said that he knew that I played good tabla but to be composing at this level was something he never suspected. He and Sunali selected their songs and from here, it was decided that I would record the album using Roop Bhai’s studio. After meeting Jagjit Singh some months later, the project was complete and as they say, the rest is history.
How do you manage to balance your day job at HP and fulfill your passion for music?
This has always been very difficult and something I have just managed to do. I travel a lot to the US for my job which makes things even more hectic for me but I manage somehow. Stealing weekends here and there, or a Friday off helps. Also I am lucky that I am good at multi-tasking so this comes in handy a lot.
Do you play any other instrument apart from tabla?
I play the harmonium and before I started playing tabla, I used to sing as a child.
You performed at a concert with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as a kid. Can you describe your experience working with them?
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan had a spiritual and calming demeanour as though he was always in another world and connecting with God. He was so soft spoken and such a generous person. He never said anything bad about anyone or demeaned a fellow artiste or musician. When I accompanied him and his team for a qawali concert he was very clear that only I would be able to play the tabla with him since the qawali style was so different and he was confident that I had the stamina to keep up. I was eighteen years old at the time. He was so supportive and so appreciative of me and I will never forget that memory. At that time Rahat was just a young boy and learning the ropes but you could see that he was being groomed to be another Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in the making.
Any upcoming project that you are working on?
I will be starting on a new album with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan this Summer.
akshatha@expressbuzz.com